Fear 101- Get Curious

Last post, I described the feeling we can experience as we introduce
change into our lives as being similar to feeling like we are in mid
air, between two trapeze bars with no apparent safety net. The most
common reaction to this analogy is how afraid we would be. Fear is a
common, naturally occurring emotion that can have a wide range of
impacts on us – everything from paralysis to boundless energy!

Over the next few weeks, I want to investigate fear and suggest
techniques you might try to overcome the fear you experience when
looking at change.

The first things to try is getting curious. Fear is
painful when you try to push it away. Don’t resist. Allow the fear to
fill your whole body and be completely aware and curious of how it
affects you. A funny thing happens when you do this, the fear usually
disappears because you’re not afraid of it.

Remember those dreams where you’re being chased by something
horrible? Fear is the same way. It’s chasing you, but once you stop
running and turn around, it goes up in smoke, because it was an
illusion.
Often fear is triggered by an event, a comment from someone, a
thought. When the fear arrives, make a quick note about how it arose –
what triggered it. Over time, you’ll begin to anticipate when a specific
fear might arise and, in that anticipation, be more prepared to face it
down. For some, journaling about the experience is a great way to embed
the experience in a positive and useful way…and you always have notes
to go back to to refresh your memory.

If getting started on a ‘fear reduction’ program is to much of a challenge, you can always get your coach to support you!